


The Panto

by missdibley



Series: Oh My Oakley [15]
Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, Unrelated (2007), Unrelated (2007) RPF
Genre: Angst, Existing Relationship, F/M, Heathrow, airport, marriage trouble, the twelve toms of christmas, tom actually, tom actually: the twelve toms of christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 09:43:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13164312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missdibley/pseuds/missdibley
Summary: It’s Boxing Day, and Helen and the children are bound for America without Oakley.





	The Panto

Was Oakley going to drive them to the airport?

Helen hadn’t even made up her mind about how she felt about this. This matter, this and and so many other matters that had been on her mind.

Did she want him to drive her and the children to the airport? Did she want to get on a plane without him for a seven and a half hour flight to America? Did she want to spend the entirety of the visit to Magnus and Halla, nine days in Chicago, explaining and then apologizing for his absence?

_The revisions from Oakley’s editor were more extensive than he’d thought. He’ll need the time and the quiet to work. He’s so sorry he can’t be here._

The first two statements were true enough. She wasn’t so sure about that last one.

“Did you forget something?”

Now they were at Heathrow, having just checked in for the flight and deposited bags with British Airways. Violet held her mother’s hand, leaning her head against her Helen’s side, while her brothers Teddy and George said goodbye to Oakley’s brother, their uncle Kit.

Helen looked up at Oakley, and was annoyed to find him smiling. Taking a deep breath, she resolved not to show her annoyance. Instead, she smiled, and asked: “Did I?”

Oakley brought his hand lightly to the base of her throat. “The necklace I got you. Where is it?”

“Oh.” Helen reached into her handbag and produced the necklace. “Here it is.”

Oakley plucked it from her palm, then fastened it around her neck. Helen watched his face, noticing that he did not meet her gaze. Instead, he smiled blankly before touching his lips to her forehead.

“I will miss you,” he said sweetly.

“Are you sure…?” Helen began to ask.

Oakley cut her off with a quick nod. “Revisions are due the second of January. There’s no chance I can get away and have the new draft in on time.”

“Alright,” said Violet, in a voice that was plaintive and small. The tone of her voice seemed to catch Oakley by surprise. He got down, kneeling on the floor so Violet could meet his gaze.

“You’re going to have a wonderful time,” Oakley replied. “Maggy said you could stay in her room, and you’ll have loads of fun exploring Chicago.”

“And don’t forget — we’ll all stay up late on New Year’s Eve.” Helen ruffled her daughter’s hair.

“But we won’t be together,” Violet pointed out.

“We’ll be together when you come back.” Oakley said apologetically. “We’ll have loads of fun, just you and me. Okay?”

Violet peered at him, with wide blinking eyes. “Promise?”

Oakley nodded, then took his daughter in his arms. He kissed her ear and sighed. “Promise.”

“Daddy!” George and Teddy flung themselves at Oakley, who fell back onto the floor under their weight. Laughing, they hugged him tight and promised to be good for Aunty Halla and Uncky Magnus.

Kit squeezed Helen’s shoulder, offering a rueful smile when she went up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Have a safe trip.”

“Thanks, Kit.” Helen sighed. “Thanks for coming today.”

“I know it’s not every year I’m home for Christmas, so any time with you lot is good.”

“God, I thought your mother was going to faint when you turned up yesterday morning.” Helen grinned at the memory of her usually elegant mother-in-law, crying as she hugged Kit and Oakley tight. “Are you going to stay with your parents while you’re here?”

Kit nodded. “Yeah, but I’ll be checking in on little brother.” He indicated Oakley. “Make sure he’s actually working on the book.”

“And maybe go down the pub a bit, yeah?”

“Of course,” Kit replied.

Helen looked at Teddy and George, who were still giggling with Oakley. “Are you going to be around for a while?”

“Yeah.” Kit smiled. “I needed a break from travel, so if you don’t mind…”

“I think the kids would like that.” Helen nodded. “Seeing their favorite uncle.”

“Well,” said Kit. “I am their only uncle.”

“What a lovely coincidence,” Helen chirped.

Oakley stood up, now holding Violet’s hand. He winked at his sons. “Everybody ready? We should head to security.”

Around them, holiday travelers headed to the the security checkpoint where they joined orderly queues. The boys were patiently letting Kit figure out the straps on the double stroller, while Violet still clutched her father’s hand.

“Tickets? Money? Passports?” Oakley asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

“Yes, to all…” Helen checked in her purse. “Oh, wait. Kids’ passports. I don’t have them. Shit!”

“Mum, you said a swear,” Violet pointed out.

“I know, I’m sorry,” replied Helen, still distracted. She looked at Oakley. “Do you have them?”

Oakley let go of Violet’s hand, and began to check himself. He patted the pockets of his jeans, then the ones on his coat. Helen’s eyes widened when he withdrew the box, the one that she knew contained the gold necklace, from one pocket. It looked the same – red leather with gold trim – only now there was a small tag with the letter ‘A’ written upon it.

“Oops,” he chuckled awkwardly, shoving it back in. “That wasn’t it.”

“What was that?” Helen asked.

“Nothing, just… I need…”

Oakley moved on, checking his other pocket and, triumphant, withdrew three passports. “Here we are!” He presented them to Helen with a flourish, then helped her and Kit gather the children to walk them to the line.

Before he and Kit left, Oakley hugged Helen. He rubbed his hand up and down her back, which didn’t do anything to ease her worries. Or her suspicions.

“Oak?” She asked.

“Yeah?”

“I love you,” Helen said.

Smiling, Oakley leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Have a good trip.”

He gave the children one last hug and one last kiss each, then stood back with Kit and watched them move up the line. Violet played peek-a-boo, turning back to smile and wave back at them. Three turns, and then she stopped.

“Mum?” Helen looked down at Violet and smiled. “What’s up?”

“They’re already gone.”

Helen turned around to look, scanning the crowd until she found the two heads of her tall husband and nearly as tall brother-in-law bobbing and weaving until they’d disappeared from view entirely.

She looked at Violet again, and shrugged. “It’s okay, Vi.”

Violet nodded. “I wish daddy could have come with us.”

Helen reached for her daughter’s hand, and squeezed. “I know, baby.”

She set off the metal detector with her necklace, so she removed it so they could go through security safely. The inspectors wanted to look at one of the boys’ bags, and then Teddy and George began to whine about being stuck in the stroller. Still, though, Helen congratulated herself for getting through security and safely to their gate with the children. Even if the agent had to remind her to take her necklace back which, instead of putting it back on, she shoved back into her purse.

Helen wondered, once they were in the air, if she had forgotten it, left it behind. Would she have bothered texting Oakley, asking him to nip back to the airport to get it, maybe he could throw it into the river near their house and get her something else. It was a pleasant fantasy. Better than the reality. The trip. The children. And, of course, the little red box in her husband’s coat pocket.


End file.
